Hello all, today was a bad day:-(. I was doing my oil change and everything went great up until I was trying to tighten the oil filter cap. I ended up starting my engine and the next thing I knew I lost all my oil coming through the oil filter cap area. I have had experience doing an oil change on my friends N14 engine and everything went solid. My issue is of course I have to redo the process but is there an easier way to reach the oil filter cap dice I busted it the first time on my car? Thanks.

 

say what????

the one time I didn't get my filter cap seated right I test drove for 15 minutes and only lost a {less than} quart.

how - exactly - are you "reaching" the oil filter cap?

 

Pretty much I did it by removing the coolant tank to reach to the oil filter cap by using my ratchet with a 10 inch extension to my 27mm socket to undo the filter cap. I had no problem removing it or for that matter I even checked to see if it was cracked, nothing. Now, when I was done with putting everything back besides the oil, I had an issue applying the cap back on. Once I noticed it was tight after struggling to put it back, I put oil in and was ready to start her up. When I did start the car, it showed on my OBD that I was low on oil and my check engine light appeared, immediately I had a puzzled look. Then I thought to myself, I heard a crack when I was done tightening the cap and realized after all the crap on my OBD, I literally screwed myself. So all in all, tomorrow I'm going to MINI to buy that shitty little cap to redo my whole process. I am annoyed cause the N18 engine has added or moved some wiring around the cap which made it difficult to reach in the first place. On the N14, it was simply easy to reach into the compartment. You got lucky at least losing less than a quart lol, I was SOL in today's situation.

 

It sounds like you cross threaded the cap when putting it on or overtorqued the cap. Make sure you always thread the cap on by hand till it hits the seat of the oil filter module. It should be effortless and glide while you spin it down by hand. After that, 25Nm, which is basically hand tight.

 

My issue is of course I have to redo the process but is there an easier way to reach the oil filter cap dice I busted it the first time on my car?


perhaps I'd have had a more helpful reply if I could parse that . . .

 

countryboyshane, like you I've had an N14 (MCS) and the oil housing cap was often a bit of a challenge to replace after an oil change + new filter but 'do-able' if you move the expansion tank and curse a bit. Your advice is absolutely effective in this case.

But 3 weeks ago on my N18 MCS the same job was an ABSOLUTE PIG! The housing threads wouldn't take despite continual repositioning and 'fiddling' etc when I was trying to refit. Something was physically stopping the process; challenging as it usually is. (I wondered why it had to be 'persuaded' to come off to replace the old filter with subsequent oil spillage...)

After a lot of trying to refit I thought that coolant hose(s) or wiring above the oil housing were impeding the process, especially as I've recently had the 'added thermostat sensor/cradle extension fix. I lifted them, pivoted the cap upwards and thankfully the threads engaged. It was a real struggle and it struck me at the time that I've done it a few times and become quite confident but it's never been such a struggle as today. I really could have used a third hand!

Now it's adding up; coolant hoses/wiring harness are now 'resting' on the cap in normal operation and getting in the way when it needs replacing. And it's further complicated by the Sept '12 'extra-sensor-addition-and-new-cradle-for-electrical-takeoff' quiet enhancement for N18's added in the same area, it seems...

 

Capt bj - I felt some of your pain. Thankfully, not all though.
Hope you've 'sorted' it ok

 

Yes my oil change on a 2013. It did seem difficult to put the cap back on. Maybe tried two or three times. But when you get it, you can tell.

 

Hmm i didn't know it was that much of a pain. I don't have plans on upgrading to the N18 but good to know!

 

I wasn't lying Shane when I had the same issue a while ago. Eventually I got it. I hope they don't plan on changing the engine anytime within the next four-five years.